1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a trim assembly for a vehicle, which has a gathered top cover made of a natural leather or the like and a method for manufacturing the same.
2. Description of Related Art
In a door lining or trim panel for a vehicle, a trim assembly (pad) having a gathered top cover made of natural leather or the like to improve luxurious feeling for aesthetic appearance has been known.
FIGS. 12A and 12B show a trim assembly (pad) having a gathered top cover according to an example of an earlier technology. FIG. 12A is a front view of the trim assembly which is illustrated from a room side, and FIG. 12B is a rear view of the trim assembly which is illustrated from a body side. The earlier trim assembly (pad) 90 for a door lining or trim panel for a vehicle is manufactured by gather-sewing peripheral portions of a top cover 91, turning back the peripheral portions of the top cover 91 to the body side surface of peripheral portions of one-piece cardboard or pasteboard 92 to which polyurethane foam which is for a cushion member and not shown is fastened so as to wrap the peripheral portions of the cardboard or pasteboard 92, and sewing the peripheral portions of the top cover 91 on the peripheral portions of the cardboard or pasteboard 92 to form sewing portion 93.
As the result, the trim assembly (pad) 90 for a door lining or trim panel for a vehicle can be formed, comprising an upper peripheral portion 95 having an approximately continuous arc shaped edge line extending from a tapered front portion 94 to a rear side; a lower peripheral portion 96 having an approximately continuous arc shaped edge line extending from a tapered front portion 94 to a rear side; and a rear peripheral portion 97 which connects the rear end, of the upper peripheral portion 95 and the lower peripheral portion 96.
However, there is problem in above described earlier trim assembly for a door lining or trim panel for a vehicle.
In such the trim assembly 90 for a door lining or trim panel for a vehicle, having tapered shaped portion, in particular, a front of center of the bottom peripheral portion 96 is curved to have a sloped peripheral portion 96b extending to connect the tapered front portion 94, while a rear of center of the bottom peripheral portion 96 has straight shape to be approximately straight shaped portion 96a extending to connect the rear peripheral portion 97. Therefore, there is a problem that on an upper portion of the approximately straight shaped portion 96a extending to connect the rear peripheral portion 97, lengthwise gathers 98 are formed in parallel to each other on the top cover 91, while on an upper portion of the sloped peripheral portion 96b extending to a side of the tapered front portion 94, oblique gathers 99 are formed on the top cover 91.